Beer: Ratings & Reviews

Reviews by RedSpecial1:

I had this at a local beer bar. It had very little head, and even that didn't stick around very long; there was also very little carbonation. The smell was of bourbon, oak, and a well balanced malty sweetness. The taste was of bourbon and oak first with a very slight roast barley bitterness. This faded to a bourbon vanilla sweetness that coated the mouth. Finally, it finished with a bit of alcohol heat, but not too much, especially considering its high ABV. The mouthfeel was thick and rich, coating your whole mouth leaving a malty sweetness that lingers. For a beer this big it is surprisingly drinkable. I couldn't resist getting a second glass, but the alcohol in this drink is well hidden, and could easily creep up on you.

What a great beer. I was lucky enough to score a 4pk of 2013 from my cousin who attended the release at Dark Horse in the cold of winter.

I am a big fan of stouts/ba stouts and try to have enough regular PT5 to last me from one release to the next, but let me tell you...the barrel-aged version of Plead is just AWESOME! The smell, the lacing of the glass, the mouthfeel...everthing about this beer makes you step back and re-evaluate other BA stouts that you've had in the past. Dark Horse knocked it out of the park with BBPT5, as many already know. I just landed a 2012 vintage and can't wait to try the '12 and '13 side by side.

Overall....although I didn't break everything down by category, if you have the opportunity to try this at a tasting or whether through a trade, be sure you jump on the chance as this is a fantastic brew that you'll be sure to savor!

Thanks to Jeff for cracking open one of the last of his stash. BBPt5 pours out even darker than the regular version (which was already darker than a black hole), although it doesn't seem to be quite as syrupy and thick, as this one actually creates some noise and light turbulence as it hits the glass. A dark-ish tan head slowly bubbles up into a thin foam and perches still on top of this black abyss of a beer.

Bringing this one to my nose and taking a big whiff reveals its huge bourbon barrel characteristics - there's no denying that this bad boy spent some considerable time encased in boozy wood. The bourbon in the aroma is very smooth, however, not harsh, pungent, or stinging like many of these BBA beers can tend to be. Other notable aromas include vanilla, light coconut, mild wood, roasted malts. There's also some sweet brown sugar and a huge, creamy coffee undertone that can be found on the back end. This is really a complex beer, just from the aroma alone. Sometimes BBA beers can kind of blend together and get repetitive, but this one smells wonderful and distinct.

BBPt5 slides across my palate as I take the first sip - it's super creamy and smooth, maybe even more so than the original (not surprisingly so). The first tastes to emerge are light syrup and sweet molasses. Before long, the bourbon inches its way into the flavor profile, but just like the aroma, it remains very smooth and easy to handle. Warming, but not "hot", and it's wonderful. Some heavy oak and vanilla tones charge in about halfway through.

As it warms up, I pick up more generous notes of dark, thick fudge and even some lightly sweet, dark fruits. Roasted coffee bounces in and out for pretty much the entire duration - a big component in the base beer that certainly isn't lost through the barrel. Overall, a seriously well developed and complex beer. Even in the finish, there are still a ton of things going on; mostly dark fudge, roasted coffee beans, sweet and warming bourbon, and heavy oak. The body stays creamy throughout - heavy and lightly chewy, low-medium carbonation - more carbonated than the base beer, which as surprising.

Considering the high 14% ABV tag, this beer was insanely drinkable. I've never seen bourbon show up so heavily while remaining so smooth and tame at the same time. This is a barrel-aged beer done correctly - the flavors meld together extremely well. One of the best bourbon barrel beers I've had.

EDIT: 4/29/2013

After having this back-to-back(-to-back?) with KBS, Black Note, and BCBS, I think I can finally and honestly say that this is my favorite of the bunch. They are all extraordinary brews, but the thing that really sets BB Plead the Fifth apart is the incredible smoothness of the bourbon. Not ONCE, not even after warming up for nearly an hour, does the bourbon ever seem any bit stronger than "warm". So incredibly smooth and complex. Fantastic integration of the barrel flavors with the base beer as to not mask or hide any of the substantial flavors, either. Probably my favorite Bourbon Barrel beer. I love this stuff.

Overrated. I was definitely dissapointed. I thought that it literally smelled like nothing. I couldnt even detect bourbon on the nose and 2.5 may actually be a bit of a generous rating. As far as feel goes, it is thin. As far as taste goes, its all bourbon. i really can't taste much of the stout-ish qualities to it. It was like a completely different beer compared to the non BA version.

2012 vintage. Happy Barrel Aged Beer Day! Pours jet black with thin brown head. Still pretty boozy even after a year in the cellar. Aroma of bourbon, dark chocolate, soy sauce, and dried fruit. Flavor is chocolaty up front with the bourbon lingering in the finish. Slight undertone of roasted malts. Nicely balanced. Heavy without being syrupy. Moderate carbonation. Overall an excellent barrel aged stout. Not a ton of depth but very balanced.